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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: season · leaves · fork · deal · lean · date · patient · row

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. row — a line
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. deal — to handle
  9. fork — in a road
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. date — the fruit
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. lean — thin
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. season — in sport
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. season — of the year
  24. lean — to bend

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com